Customer versus user experience: What is the difference and why it matters

Knct Social /
23 Mar /

Same difference, did you say? Not really. Though Customer Experience (CX) and User Experience (UX) sound similar, there are many differences, the nuances of which must be well understood for deeper success in digital marketing.
Let us begin by understanding what each kind of experience actually entails.

What is User Experience (UX)?
User Experience deals with specific experiences your customer has with a product, or a website, app or software. The metrics that matter here include ease of access, usability, visual hierarchy, comprehension etc., all of which combine to make the experience good or bad.

What is Customer Experience (CX)?
Customer Experience, on the other hand, is more all-encompassing. It includes all the interactions your customer might have with your brand and your company as a whole. Typically CX refers to every kind of interaction a customer might have including brand reputation, sales, pricing, delivery, advertising and customer service.

What should digital marketing companies in Bangalore look out for?
It is vital for a digital marketing company to not only comprehend the direct influence of UX but also the larger context in which CX operates. A good UX gives the customer the ability to find what he needs immediately, search web pages easily as well as complete a desired task without any roadblocks. While a good CX gives the customer the ability to have a long, continuously pleasant interaction with the company as well as its representatives and feel generally positive about its products, service and brand.

Why the difference matters
Let us consider an imaginary instance. You buy a laptop from a reputed company. You had a good experience while buying the laptop and you have a good opinion about the company. But when you actually begin using the laptop, you encounter many issues. But the company has a dedicated customer support system. They respond to your SOS immediately, apologise for the defects in the products, send across a technician and get the faulty parts repaired immediately.
What this example demonstrates is how even if the specific User Experience you had was bad, the overall Customer Experience was great, and in the end, you were happy and perhaps you would recommend the product (despite the issues you encountered) to a friend because of the way the company and its representatives interacted with you. This goes to show how UX is a part of CX but CX has to work efficiently to overcome any slip-ups in user experiences.​
This can happen in reverse as well -- and that is indeed more harmful to the company and the brand. A specific user experience might be great but if the overall customer experience leaves a bad taste in the customer’s mouth, then the company will suffer long-term consequences.

Hence, in the ultimate analysis, a successful company must ensure a deep integration of both UX and CX processes for a smooth experience for its clients.

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